GGG Disable Mystery Boxes for Player with Gambling Issues

It is acts of humanity such as this that make Path of Exile players as devoted as they are.

Recently, reddit user CadenceLikesVGs got in touch with Grinding Gear Games support with a request to disable his ability to purchase Mystery Boxes, something Cadence himself refers to as “[GGG’s] biggest moneymaker”. As a person struggling with gambling issues, the Path of Exile Mystery Boxes are as tempting as an anglerfish’s lure.

For years since purchasing a beta key in 2012, Cadence has used Path of Exile as an innocent outlet for his addiction – the high of crafting and roaming the endgame provided just the right amount to settle his nerves without it actually hurting his wallet. This changed however with the introduction of Mystery Boxes in 2015. And as he explains it:

I bought a box or two – it was the Chaos and Order mystery box. I just wanted to spend my spare points to get something cool. But I got set pieces. So obviously I needed to buy more to complete the set. But I kept getting duplicates. So I needed more boxes.

You can imagine how this all goes.

So got in touch with GGG support seeking assistance – could his ability to purchase Mystery Boxes be removed? And the answer is – yes! After a bit of holiday back and forth with the team, his account has been stripped of Mystery Box-purchasing privileges until August 2019 (we imagine that period could be extended as time progresses, if need be) with the clear instruction that this restriction is not to be lifted even if Cadence himself asks for it.

What a relief that is. Thank you, GGG, for allowing me to enjoy the game, without exploiting my brain damage.